The Birds
by chidoriwaves
Summary: After losing his wife, Sasuke must take care of the second love of his life. His child.


The Birds

Chapter 1

 _Imperative disclaimer for all chapters that may or may not be written after this one:_

 _I don't own Naruto._

 _Enjoy._

"Dad?"

Sasuke looked up at the little girl that called for him. She was seated in a chair across from him, little elbows on the round wooden table in the middle of the kitchen, her head was tilted and a smile played around the features of her young face.

"Daughter?" he looked back down at the stack of mail he had been successfully avoiding for about three weeks now, bills. Remnants of the absolute torture they had endured six months prior.

"So Saturday is Aiko's birthday party and she invited me today. I was wondering if we could go get her a present? Like what she got me?" Sasuke looked up at the girl, noticing she was now staring at the mail as well; he started cleaning it up.

"If we can't Dad, it's okay. I was just asking." Her voice grew softer as she finished her comment.

"Sarada," the little girl looked up at her father, "we can go. Which one is Aiko again?" She smiled and began her tangent about exactly which friend she was talking about. Sasuke couldn't help but let his mind drift back six months when he was neck deep in hospital bills and grief and his wife decided she still wanted to throw their daughter a surprise party.

At the time, Sarada didn't have many friends. Mainly because she wasn't going to school very often, but the one's she did have were always around her; inviting her to stay at their houses on the weekends and after school until her parents got home from work. Work being the hospital they grew so acquainted with. She didn't always get to go with her friends, Sakura wanted as much time with her as she could possibly have; but when things got rough a mother could only do so much to shield their child from their pain.

"Dad? Hello?" Sasuke jerked his head up and saw that Sarada was waiving her hand in front of his face; he sighed.

"Sorry, I was thinking."

"About Momma?" He watched her face fall slightly.

"And about you."

"I'm okay Daddy. You know that. Are you okay?" He stared at her. She looked just like him, that was undeniable, but there were parts of her that were just so _Sakura_ that it hurt. One being the way she was looking at him at the moment.

"I'm okay baby." He looked at the digital clock on the stove and stood up. "It's time for bed, you have school in the morning." The little girl groaned and stood up as well; she walked around the table to stand in front of him and lifted her arms. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"You know you're eleven right?" He commented and he picked up his daughter and she wrapped her arms around his neck; laying her head on his shoulder.

"Yes I know. It's just been a long time since you've carried me. You did it a lot when mom was around, I miss it." He ran a hand through her hair and took a detour as they walked through the house.

"My room is the other way Papa."

"I know, I'll take you there in a few." He walked out to the balcony and moved her to rest on his hip.

"I haven't been here since…" She quieted down. It was her mother's favorite place in the house. The reason they got the house actually; the balcony looked out to the lake behind the house and the forest beyond that.

They lived in the city until Sakura got sick and wanted some peace and quiet. The family finally packed up, leaving behind family and friends for seclusion, when Sakura began to lose her hair. She didn't want anyone to know just how sick she was, so when she passed it was a surprise to everyone.

"You've been avoiding it. You know what makes things harder Sarada." She nodded and wiped at her eyes. He had a tough little girl, but he knew she was hurting; he just wanted things to happen as smoothly as possible for her. Sasuke kissed her forehead and turned around to go back into the house, locking the doors to the balcony behind him.

"Daddy, can I sleep with you?"

"Of course you can. Did you finish all your homework?" She nodded.

"Brush your teeth?" Another nod.

"Get tickled?" She began to nod, then realized his question and started squirming around to avoid his hand.

Sarada yelped when Sasuke let go of her and she dropped to the soft bed in the master bedroom. She crawled backwards toward the headboard as Sasuke reached for her feet, trying to tickle her again. He caught her ankle and pulled her toward him, catching her in an onslaught of tickles and butterfly kisses.

"UNCLE UNCLE!" She struggled to yell out through her laughter.

"Oh, he's not going to help you this time."

"Dad! I'm gonna pee myself!" This immediately stopped him and she crawled to the other side of the bed, still giggling. Sasuke smiled at her and laid down opening his arms.

"No more tickles?" She was apprehensive of him trying to get her again. He shook his head.

"It's bed time." She moved toward him and laid her head on his arm as he wrapped his other arm around her. He didn't have Sakura, but the little girl in his arms was damn well more than good enough. That night, he had no nightmares.

When he woke up the next morning Sasuke noticed that Sarada wasn't in the bed anymore. But, he did hear the water in his bathroom running. He got up and walked to the doorway, leaning on it.

"Good morning Dad. It's okay if I brush my teeth here right?" he nodded and walked over to the other sink getting ready for his day as well.

Soon after, Sarada was fed and dropped off at school, on time, as always. He was parked in the drop off area watching his daughter fade into the group of kids entering the school. He sunk down into his seat when he thought of what was in store for him today, but quickly got situated and drove away to whatever work he could find.

When Sakura was sick, Sasuke's boss thought that it would be appropriate to give him some time off to help her out. At the time, no one knew just how sick she was so a week turned into two, then a month, then three months. Not too long after the three-month mark Sasuke was told his wife would die and that he was laid off in the same hour.

Even now, Sasuke still had a hard time finding work out in the countryside. He couldn't commute or work long hours because he had to be at the school to pick up Sarada at three-fifteen every afternoon. He tried working nights and leaving Sarada with their neighbors, who were a couple about his age with two other children, one in Sarada's grade and another three years younger. Sarada took an immediate liking to the kind woman and her family and he appreciated them taking care of her but when he started receiving calls in the middle of the night about her having nightmares and walking though the house crying, looking for her mother, he couldn't leave her with them anymore.

Naruto, the husband, had told Sasuke that they didn't mind watching over Sarada. And that he knew the crying and they nightmares would continue; he wanted to help his new friend out as much as he could. Sasuke told him not to worry about it and Sarada stayed over very seldom after that. The couple still invited them over to dinner and they became close friends in the six months since his wife died. But now, things were getting difficult, he had bills haunting him and school trips to pay for and birthday gifts to buy for girls he didn't even remember.

Sarada didn't know that they were running out of money, that he was running out of options, and she never would. He and Sakura always told her to be honest, to always live her life being true to others no matter what. It was hurting him to lie to his daughter, but he had to, he was all she had and he'd be damned if she lost that too.

Gripping the steering wheel Sasuke turned into the parking lot of an office building that was not too far from the school, parked and got out of the car. Today's job: cleaning the place from top to bottom.

About half way through the day Sasuke ran into someone he never thought he would see while cleaning a bathroom, hell not he thought he would ever be desperate enough to clean a bathroom in the first place.

"Sasuke?" his head shot up at the voice of his neighbor.

"Naruto. What are you doing here?"

"Um, I work here man. What are you doing?" He looked Sasuke up and down confusion written across his face.

"Working." Naruto's eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head.

"I thought you- but I- man you-. I don't understand. I thought you were a writer for the paper. Working all those nights, I mean, I don't know. This isn't what I expected." Sasuke leaned against a stall wall and sighed.

"I was a writer for the paper. Now I'm not."

"Yeah, well I see that much." Naruto scratched his head and loosened his tie. "Well I'm on my lunch break, why don't you join me. We'll figure out something better than you scrubbing toilets man."

"Look, I don't need you bothering your boss for me."

"Who hired you?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the blond man.

"What?"

"Who hired you?"

"I don't know, some lady. I called and she gave me the job."

"So you were the desperate one. I see."

"What the fuck are you talking about Naruto?" Sasuke would be lying if he said the comment hadn't pissed him off just a tad.

"I'm not going to bother my boss man." Sasuke nodded, wiping his hands on his jeans and sitting across from Naruto on an outside picnic table. He rested his chin in his palm and listened to the birds for a moment before Naruto spoke again.

"I am the boss." Sasuke turned his attention to the man across from him again. Seeing a blinding smile on the man's face he gave him a confused look.

"You're the boss?" He asked dryly and Naruto nodded.

"Yep. And you're in luck because we just so happen to need a writer on one of our teams." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him again.

"I can't. The hours won't work for me. Thanks but-"

"Hinata can pick up Sarada from school and take care of her until you get home. Nine to four, you'll be home by 4:30, Monday through Friday, sixteen and hour for now until your three months is up then you can be eligible for raises. You can't say no man. You start tomorrow. I'll see you at eight tomorrow morning for a tour." Naruto got up and walked back into the building laughing to himself and saying something about the world being a small place. He left Sasuke reeling; staring at the chipping paint on the table, listening to the birds.

Well, let's see how far this one gets shall we.

-Chidoriwaves.


End file.
